Weft replenishing drop box loom



v June 8, 1937. A. A. GDRDO'N ET AL 5 3. 4

WEFT REPLENISHING DROP BOX LOOM Filed Jan. 8, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet 1 June 8, 1937. A. A. GORDON ET AL 2,082,334

WEFT REPLENISHING DROP BOX 1400M Filed Jan. 8. 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 June :8, 1937. A. GORDON ETAL. I 2,082,884

WEF'I" REPLENISHING DRbP BOX LOOM Filed Jan. 8, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 8, 1937. A. A. GORDON ET AL WEFT REPLENISHING DROP BOX LOOM Filed Jan. 8. 1934 a Sheets- Sheet 4 June 8, 1937. 4, GORDON ET AL 2,082,884

WEFT REPLENISHING DROP BOX LOOM Filed Jan. 8. 19 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 i i iH.nN HFi Jun s, 1937'.

A. A. GORDON ET AL WEFTREPLENISHING DROP BOX LOOM Filed Jan. 8. 1934 0 I M7776 {WWW June 8, 1937. A. A. GORDON Er AL WEFT REPLENISHING DROP BOX LOOM 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Jan. 8, 1954 T10 I l I l l Jun 8, 1937. 1 4 GORDON ET AL 2,082,884

- WEFT REPLENISHING DROP BOX LOOM Filed Jan. 8, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet a' Patented June 8, 1937 WEFT REPLENISHENG DROP BOX LOOM Albert A. Gordon and William M. Wattie, Worcester, Mass, assignors to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 8, 1934, Serial No. 705,782

4 Claims. (Cl. 139-232) This invention relates to weft replenishing looms having a plurality of shifting shuttle boxes at each end of the lay. In certain aspects, our invention is particularly applicable to so-called pick-and-pick looms, in which a single pick of a. given kind or color of weft may be inserted if and when desired.

In this present application, we have shown our invention embodied in a pick-and-pick loom provided with two shifting shuttle boxes at each end of the lay and arranged to pick the shuttles alternately, each shuttle moving from a lower box on one side of the loom to an upper box on the opposite side, or vice-versa. I

In the weaving of certain fabrics, such as some kinds of upholstery, a coarse weft yarn such as a woolen yarn may be used in one shuttle and a very fine weft yarn such a silk thread may be used in the other shuttle. Obviously the silk bobbin will contain many times the yardage of weft of the woolen bobbin and, if similarly operated, will run many times as long before weft exhaustion.

It is accordingly desirable to provide automatic weft replenishment for the frequently exhausted woolen shuttle, while manual replenishment of the silk shuttle is quite satisfactory.

It is one object of our invention to provide means for detecting the condition of weft supply in a plurality of shuttles in a drop box loom, together with means for automatically replenishing certain of said shuttles, and means for effecting loom stoppage on substantial exhaustion of weft in other shuttles.

In our present application, two shifting shuttle boxes are shown at each side of the loom, and two shuttles only are used, but in certain aspects our invention is not dependent on the provision of this particular number of shuttles and shuttle boxes.

We further provide means for automatically replenishing one shuttle when in the top box at one side of the loom and for stopping the loom for manual replenishment of the other shuttle when said other shuttle is in the top box at the opposite side of the loom, each shuttle traveling from a lower to an upper box, or vice-versa, at each flight thereof.

A further object of our invention is to provide for horizontal weft replenishment of a shuttle while it is located above normal running position and above the path of oscillating movement of the lay end, picker and picker rod or spindle, so that a clear path for the ejected bobbin is provided.

We further provide means to render the feelers or weft detectors in our improved loom inoperative during downward movement of the associated shuttle boxes, for a reason to be disclosed.

Our invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which Fig. l is a front elevation of a loom embodying our improvements, with parts of the dobby shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a partial left hand side elevation of the loom, with the drop boxes in section;

Fig. 3 is a similar partial right-hand side elevation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the weft detecting mechanism shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged front elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the weft detectors and parts of the loom stopping mechanism, looking in the general direction of the arrow 6 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a detail front elevation of certain parts appearing in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional side elevation, taken along the line 88 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a detail plan view, looking in the direction of the arrow 9 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a sectional side elevatiomtaken along the line iii-19 in Fig. 9; v

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional front elevation, taken along the line I l-Il in Fig. 9, and

Fig. 12 is a partial left-hand side elevation, with certain parts broken away to show the drop box actuating mechanism.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, we have shown ourinvention embodied in a 2 x 2 pick-and-pick loom having a frame F and lay ends and 2| provided with upper and lower drop boxes 22 and 23 for the lay end 20, and upper and lower drop boxes 24 and 25 for the lay end 2|.

The loom is provided with the usual bottom or cam shaft 25 and crankshaft 26 (Fig. 3), and the crankshaft is connected to the lay with the usual links or connectors 21. The crankshaft commonly makes two revolutions for each revolution of the cam or bottom shaft 25.

A magazine M is mounted at the front of the loom at the left-hand side. The details of construction of the magazine form no part of our present invention and the magazine may be of the general type shown in a prior patent to Gordon No. 1,766,895, issued June 24, 1930.

For present purposes, it may be stated that.

the magazine comprises a fixed frame work 30 in which two or more bobbin holders are mounted for vertical sliding movement. These bobbin holders are normally held in raised position but upon indication of weft exhaustion, a selected holder will be moved downward to present a bobbin in the path of a transfer member 3! (Fig. 2) supported on a rod 32 swinging about a fixed pivot 33. The rod 32 is connected by a link 34 to a head 35 having a substantially L-shaped slot 36 therein.

A stud 31 (Fig. 2) on an arm 38 extends into the slot 36. The arm 38 is pivoted at 39 and is connected to a second arm 40 having a cam roll lI engaging an actuating cam 42 on the bottom shaft 25. The slotted head 35 .rests on a roll 43 mounted on a lever M pivoted-at 45 and connected to a link 46.

The link 46 is connected to an arm 4! (Fig. 2) on a rock shaft 48 mounted for both sliding and angular movement in fixed bearings on the loom frame F and on the magazine M. A second arm 49 on. the rock shaft 58 is connected by a link 53 to an arm 5| pivoted at 52 and having an associated arm 53.

The arm 53 is provided with a tension spring 55 and is connected by a link 55 to a bell crank 55 (Fig. 10) pivoted at 51 (Figs. 9 and 10). A rearw'ardly extending arm 58 of the bell crank 55 is provided with a dependingbearing portion 59 (Fig. 11') for a sliding plunger 59 which is connected by a rod or wire ill to feeler mechanism to be described.

A chopper lever 52 is also mounted on the stud 5! which supports the bell crank 56 and is connected by a link 53 to a cam lever 55 (Fig. 2) pivoted at 65 and having a cam roll 66 engaging a cam 61 on the bottom shaft 25.

' The parts are normally in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 10, with the cam roll or'stud 31 (Fig. 2) positioned in the segmental portion of the slot 35. When the parts are thus positioned, the stud 31 will move freely along the segmental slot 35 when the arm 38 is oscillated and no movement of the transfer member 3| will take place.

If, however, the weft detecting mechanism associated with the plunger 60 (Figs. 9 and 11) indicates substantial weft exhaustion, the plunger 60 will be projected under the chopper lever 62, causing the bell crank 56 to be moved in the direction of the arrow a. in Fig. 10, which movement, through the connections described, will shift the slotted head 35 (Fig. 2) so that the stud 31 is positioned in the offset'end' of the slot 35. The transfer member 3I will then be drawn rearward on the next movement of the arm 38 by the cam 62.

For a more complete description of the transfer member and its actuating mechanism, reference is made to the prior patent to Gordon No. 1,803,181, issued October 28, 1931.

Suitable provision is also made for shifting the. rock shaft 48 (Fig. 2) axially after each transfer. so that bobbins Will be drawn successively from different bobbin holders in the magazine M. The mechanism for shifting the rock shaft 48 axially to effect such successive delivery may be substantially as shown in the prior pattent to Brown No. 1,817,124, issued August 4,

Any suitable or convenient mechanism may be provided for shifting the drop boxes. In Figs. 1 and 12 we have indicated diagrammatically mechanism for alternately raising and lowering the drop boxes 22 and 23 at the left-hand side of the loom on successive picks of the loom.

For this purpose we have shown a double lobe cam 15 (Fig. 12) engaging a cam lever I6 pivoted at TI and connected to a cord or cable I8. The cord I8 passes around a guide-roll 19 rotatable on a rock shaft and then passes around guide-rolls BI and 82 on the lay and. is finally connected to the lower end of the drop box lifter rod 83.

The cam I5 (Fig. 12) is connected by a gear 85 and pinion 86 to the cam shaft 25 and thus makes one revolution for each four beats of the lay. Consequently the drop boxes 22 and 23 will be alternately raised and lowered by the double cam 75, with one such movement occurring for each beat of the lay.

In Figs. 1 and 3 we have shown similar mechanism for operating the right-hand drop boxes 24 and 25, such mechanism comprising the double lobe cam 90, cam lever SI and connecting rod or cable 92 passing around guide pulleys 93, 94, and 95 and connected to the lower end. of the lifter rod 95, all as previously described.

The cam 95 is also driven at half cam shaft speed from the cam shaft 25 through a pinion 91 and gear 98, and the cams l5 and 30 are so positioned relatively to each other that the two sets of drop boxes move substantially simultaneously, but that one set of boxes rises while the other set of drop boxes moves downward.

Box movement on the detecting end of the lay may, however, begin somewhat earlier than at the magazine end and with an easier and slower motion.

We will now describe the weft detecting mechanism and the connections through which the weft detectors or feelers are rendered effective to initiate weft replenishment for one shuttle, or to cause stoppage of the loom for the other shuttle.

A pair of weft detectors or feelers I00 and IBI (Fig. 4) are mounted on stands I52 and I03. which stands are secured to or formed integral with a slide I 56 vertically movable in fixed guide- Ways I05. A link Hi5 is pivoted at its upper end to the slide I04 and at its lower end is pivoted to a member I07 (Fig. 3) which is movable vertically with the drop box lifter rod 96. Consequently the detectors I05 and HM are maintained at all times in horizontal alignment with the bobbins in the shuttles in the shuttle boxes 24 and 25.

The lower weft detector IE0 is associated with the shuttle to be automatically replenished, this shuttle occupying the top box at the magazine side of the loom and the lower box at the opposite side.

The detectors H10 and ID! are pivoted adjacent the rear ends of slides in the stands I52 and I33, one pivot being indicated at I08 in Fig. 6., A portion of the detector I635 extends forward from its pivot and is swung sideways through a slot I39 (Fig. 4) in the side of the stand I02 when the detector slips sideways to indicate substantial weft exhaustion.

This swinging forward end of the detector I50 engages an offset portion IIB (Fig. 4) of an arm II I (Fig. 5) pivotally mounted on a stud I I2. An associated depending arm II3 is pivotally connected to the rod or wire 5| and plunger 63 (Fig. 9) previously described.

When the detector Hill engages a substantially exhausted bobbin, the detector slips to the left, as viewed in Fig. 6, moving the arms III and I I3 and rod 6I in the direction of the arrows b in Fig. 5, and thus projecting the plunger 66 (Figs. 9 to- 11) in the path of the chopper lever 62. This initiates weft replenishment of the indicated shuttle on its return to the top box at the magazine side of the loom, all as previously described.

The'upper weft detector IIII swings about its pivot I08 (Fig. 6) on indication of weft exhaustion and the forwardly extending portion of the detector is displaced sidewise through a slot I26 (Fig. 4) in the sideof the upper stand I03.

The swinging forward end of the detector engages an arm I2I pivoted at I22 (Fig. 4) and extending forwardly alongside the slot I20. A rearwardly extending associated arm I23 is connected by a link I24 (Fig. 6) to a plunger I25 mounted in bearings I 26 (Fig. 8) on the filling fork slide I21.

An actuating member I30 (Fig. 8) is mounted on a fixed pivot I3I and is provided with an arm I32 connected by a link I33 to a lever I34 (Fig. 3) pivoted at I35 and periodically oscillated by a cam I36 on the cam shaft 25.

The actuating member I30 (Fig. 8) has an upstanding portion or lug I38 positioned to engage the plunger I25 under certain conditions, and is also provided with a hook I39 positioned to engage a hook l4!) at the forward end of the usual filling fork I4I (Fig. 6).

Upon indication of weft exhaustion in the upper shuttle at the right-hand side of the loom, the detector IIII will slip sidewise, thus projecting the plunger I25 into the path of the lug I38 (Fig. 6)

and causing the filling fork slide I0 to be moved forward. Such forward movement swings the knock-off lever I44 (Fig. 6) about its pivot I45, thus releasing the shipper lever I46 and causing the loom to stop in the usual manner.

It will thus appear that the detector for the lower box initiates weft replenishment of the indicated shuttle after it has returned to the top box at the magazine side of the loom, while the detector IIJI for the upper box causes stoppage of the loom when the indicated shuttle has returned to the top box at the right-hand side of the loom, in which position it may be conveniently replenished manually.

It is desirable that the weft detectors operate only during upward movement of the shuttle boxes 24 and 25. We accordingly provide means for withdrawing the detectors during the downward movement of these boxes. For this purpose we provide an arm I56 (Fig. 5) pivoted on a fixed pivot I5I and yieldingly pressed to the left in Fig. 5 by a tension spring I52.

At its upper end the arm I56 is provided with a ledge I53 having its upper end normally abutting the left-hand portion of the fixed guideway I65 but having its lower end spaced therefrom as indicated in Figs. 5 and 7.

An arm I60 (Figs. 5 and 6) is mounted on a fixed pivot I6! and has a pin I62 positioned to be engaged by the flange I53 on the arm I50. An associated arm I64 is mounted to swing with the arm I60 and has an enlarged end portion I65 engaging offset end portions I66 and I61 of the slides in the feeler stands I62 and I03.

As the boxes move upward, the feeler stand slide I04 moves upward, but the pin I62 clears the lower end of the fiange I53 as indicated in Fig. 7 and the detectors remain in operative position. Upon downward movement of .the drop boxes, however, the pin I 62 engages the fiange I53, also as indicated in Fig. '7, and the'feelers are drawn forward out of operative position during such downward movement of the drop boxes. Consequently the weft detectors are permitted to operate only on upward movement of the drop boxes and useless indications on the intervening downward movements are thus avoided.

Having thus described our invention, the opera.- tion and utility thereof will be readily understood. The weft detectors engage the shuttles alternately in the right-hand shuttle boxes, and on indication of weft exhaustion they cause the shuttle having the coarse filling to be replenished by the magazine or cause the loom to be stopped with the shuttle having the fine filling in the upper box at the right-hand side of the loom. By the use of a two-cell magazine, a double supply of bobbins is provided for the shuttle having the coarse filling, and the loom will run for a long period of time without attention by the weaver. v

Having thus described our invention and the advantages thereof, we do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, butwhat we do claim is:-

1. In a weft replenishing pick-and-pick loom, a lay having a pair of shifting shuttle boxes at each end thereof, a pair of shuttles, means to shift said boxes so that each shuttle will always travel between a lower box at one end and an upper box at the opposite end, a magazine adjacent the shuttle boxes at one end of the lay and holding bobbins of one characteristic of weft only, the shuttle in the upper box at the magazine end always having weft of the kind stored in said magazine and the shuttle in the lower box at the magazine end always having a second and different kind of weft, a pair of feelers adjacent the boxes at the end of the lay remote from the magazine, and a filling stop motion, the feeler which coacts with the weft in the shuttle in the top box at the feeler end of the lay being operatively connected to the filling stop motion to stop the loom on substantial exhaustion of the second kind of weft and with said shuttle in said top shuttle box at the feeler end of the lay, and the feeler which coacts with the weft in the shuttle in the lower box at the feeler end of the lay being operatively related to the magazine to effect automatic replenishment of the first kind of weft after said shuttle is received in the top box at the magazine end of the lay.

2. In a weft replenishing pick-and-pick loom, a magazine, a lay having a pair of shifting shuttle boxes at each end thereof, means to shift said pairs of boxes simultaneously but in opposite directions, whereby each shuttle travels between an upper box on one side and a lower box on the other side, a separate weft detecting feeler to indicate substantial weft exhaustion ineach shuttle at the side of the loom remote from the magazine, means to cause automatic weft replenishment from the magazine on indication of substantial weft exhaustion in one shuttle, means to stop the loom on indication of substantial weft exhaustion in the other shuttle, and means to render both of said feelers inoperative as the associated shuttle boxes are lowered both feelers being operatively positioned as the boxes are raised.

3. In a weft replenishing loom, a magazine, a lay having a lay end and associated shifting shuttle boxes adjacent said magazine, means to deliver a substantially exhausted shuttle to the upper shuttle box, means to shift said boxes to upper shuttle box, means to shift said boxes to bring the upper shuttle box a full box shift above its active position and in a path of movement just below said magazine, and means to transfer a bobbin horizontally rearward to said upper box 5 when in such raised position.

- ALBERT A. GORDON.

WILLIAM M. WATTIE. 

